hypnosis without visualization

[Unregistered]

Hi. I downloaded some hypnosis mp3's recently, but as far as I can tell, none of them have hypnotized me. I've decided to try to make my own tape to see if that works better. Since I don't know what I'm doing, I'm going to try to tweak the script from one of the mp3's so that it's more personalized for me, instead of making it up all on my own. The only major change I want to make to the script is that I want to take out all references to visualization. I'm pretty much unable to visualize, and I'm unable to follow the instructions on the mp3's because of that. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to put on the tape that doesn’t involve visualization? I’m at a loss for how to do this.

[Jack]

Your representative system may not be visual. Try using sounds or feelings to replace the visuals.

Just one other thing: be careful since 'you don't know what you are doing'. Hypnosis is a powerful instrument of change, but in the wrong hands the change may be not what you had bargained for,

Jack

[Unregistered]

Thank you, Jack. So, since you're telling me to be careful, is there anything in particular you could warn me about, some horrible mistake that I might make? I think I'll probably either go see a hypnotherapist, or I'll read a lot so that I actually know what I'm doing, but I'm impatient, and I wish the mp3's had worked. I did make a tape for myself. I went into a bit of a trance (I don't know if it was a hypnotic trance, but it was definitely a trance) while I was recording the tape, but of course not while I was listening to it. :(

[Don]

Just out of curiosity sake, how do you know you went into a "bit of a trance?"

[Unregistered]

Don, well, uh....I guess I sort of go into trances a lot. It's just the way I am. I don't think they're hypnotic trances, just...I don't know. Like when I shower I usually go into a trance, and just sit there and watch the hallucinations that I get when I'm in my shower trance and enjoy it. I can put myself into a trance pretty easily by staring at a point that's good to stare at and taking my mind where I need to take it (sorry I can't explain that), but I can't go into a trance and pay attention to mp3's at the same time, if that makes any sense. Like one time I was listening to an mp3, and I started going into one of my trances (which, as I said, probably aren't hypnotic anyway), and doing so made it so I couldn't hear the mp3, so I came out of it. The trance I went into while I was reading into the tape recorder sort of involved what I was reading, at least I didn't have it tuned out, so it's the closest I've gotten basically....and it's probably nothing like being hypnotized. :(

[ensentium]

To be honest with you, you don't always want a lot conscious mind involvement when listening to mp3's and such. I like the example gerry kein gives: The conscious mind should sort of be like a fan at a baseball game. He knows the baseball game is going on and can watch, but he's not actively getting involved in the actual progress of the game.

The best way, in my opinion, to listen to an mp3 induction is to pay attention to the sound of the speakers voice. Not his words, the sound. And that is to say, you're paying attention, but not getting involved consciously.

Though like others have said, you'll have the best results by going to a hypnotherapist and having him guide you to somnambulism so you can find your way back on your own easily with an installed anchor. You probably won't be too surprised by what a guided hypnosis session is/feels like, however, when you're sure that you're getting to the right state then your confidence in the self-hypnosis you'll be doing will improve dramatically. That is probably the most important part; knowing it will work and that you're not taking a shot in the dark.

What the mind expects to happen tends to be realized. So if you're unsure about the hypnotic work, you can guess what will happen, nothing. But if you know for sure without a doubt that you will succeed and you're excited and happy about it, you're on your way. That's the problem most people have with mp3s and tapes, they don't want to participate in the work (they expect to go to sleep and wake up "fixed" or something) and (because of that belief) they're unsure of it.

Cheers.

[Don]

Hi, Guest.

I think you missed my point. You tell us you go into trances "a lot." I understand that. My question, however, wasn't about that. I asked how you "know" you're in a trance.

You see, you're talking about trance a great deal. But how do you know that you've gone into a trance at any time? I mean, maybe you're not in a trance at all and it's just a non-trance state?

How do you know?

[AnthonyM83]

Guest, I would try to answer Don's question. I don't think he's trying to put you down, but rather lead you through to something that would help you out.

[Don]

That's correct. I'm not trying to put you down in any way. I'm just trying to find out if you are really in trance or if you have some sort of expectation as to what trance is which is not based in reality. The only way I can figure this out is if you tell us what makes you think you're in trance.

[Unregistered]

Hi Don. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. School started up again this week and I've been very busy. Anyway, I'm not sure I could explain to you how I know when I'm in a trance. As far as I know, the trances I go into are not hypnotic, so maybe I shouldn't even call them trances. I'm wracking my brain for some way to explain how it feels to be in one of my trances, and I just can't think of a good way to explain it. If I'm in the shower (because that trance feels sort of different than if I'm not in the shower, plus I've got the visuals), I feel extremely peaceful, stare, don't move at all (I'm not really connected enough to the way my body's feeling when I'm in that state to notice if I need to move around). I don't really think about much. I see different colors (everything I see will be tinted purple, say, and then a different color will come in from the left and move across the area I'm looking at until the everything looks that color, then another color will come from the left.) I don't seem to remember much from when I'm in the trance (it took years before I was able to realize that the color I saw most often in the shower was purple, although I suspect that I see purple at least 50% of the time that I'm in that trance, and it's generally the first color that comes up).

[Don]

Maybe that's just a normal, relaxed state and not a trance at all? If so, perhaps you're looking for something that isn't there due to expectations and assumptions. Maybe those MP3s didn't hypnotize you at all.

[Unregistered]

I wasn't expecting hypnosis to be like my trances, and as far as I know, I haven't been hypnotized by any of the mp3s.

[Don]

Well, the thing is, you wrote "I went into a bit of a trance...while I was recording the tape, but of course not while I was listening to it."

It sounds to me like although you say you are going into a trance, you are simply going into another state of consciousness which you identify as a trance whether it is or not. You're also unclear as to what it might be like if you go into a hypnotic trance.

I'm not criticizing you for this--it's all fine. I'm just pointing out that you have some expectations and predetermined ideas about what hypnosis might be like.

Let me give you an example of what hypnosis feels like, okay? Close your eyes....now open them. That's why hypnosis feels like.

I think that because you were expecting hypnosis to feel like something similar to the different state of consciousness you term "trance," your mind wouldn't accept any suggestions unless you achieved that state.

As an analogy, I used to teach massage. People would try to learn massage from books and do a horrible job. They'd take some lessons from me and learn the basics, then they could put what they learn from books into practice.

Likewise, I think if you go to a real hypnotist and have a session, you'll learn what hypnosis is really like and how easy it is to choose to go into a hypnotic state. From then on, MP3s should be able to help you go into hypnosis because your body/mind will know where to go.

Now, whether the generic suggestions in those MP3s will help you is another question!

[Neurotic1]

Hi unregistered

Have you ever got so lost in something that when you stop doing it you almost 'wake up'. For example - if you drive and forget part of the journey as if you weren't present when you made it - that might be a form of trance or maybe if you got so lost in a film or book that you realised you had forgotten about the room you were sitting in watching or reading it? Usually you feel quite relaxed and don't have to do much at all to go off into a wonderful trance. It can be really quite effortless you know how to do it you maybe just dont know you know.